Drug Week articles from April 2003

Drug Week archives from April 2003

Trizivir inferior to two other treatments, according to NIAID clinical advisory.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The Division of AIDS (DAIDS) of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) has issued a clinical advisory to HIV/AIDS health care providers regarding interim results from the...

Once weekly risedronate increases bone mineral density in postmenopausal women.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Once weekly therapy with risedronate increased bone mineral density in postmenopausal women. "Risedronate 5 mg daily is approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat postmenopausal...

Study: No pharmacokinetic drug interactions between memantine and donepezil.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Forest Laboratories, Inc., (FRX) announced the results of a new study that show there are no pharmacokinetic interactions between memantine, an investigational drug for Alzheimer disease, and donepezil...

Simvastatin significantly lowers risk of cardiovascular disease in diabetics.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Maria G. Essig, MS, ELS, senior medical writer - Diabetic patients, who have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, experienced a reduced incidence of major vascular events during treatment...

Rat study assesses liposomes' mucoadhesive properties in delivery of calcitonin.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Pharmacologists in Japan conducted a study in rats to assess the mucoadhesive properties of carbopol or chitosan-coated liposomes and their effectiveness in oral delivery of calcitonin. To ready...

Topiramate effective for binge eating in obese adults.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Maria G. Essig, MS, ELS, senior medical writer - The frequency of binge eating was significantly lower in obese patients treated with topiramate than in similar patients who received a placebo,...

Promising HIV drug completes successful clinical trial.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Sarawak MediChem Pharmaceuticals has completed a 48-subject clinical trial of Calanolide A in combination therapy for HIV. This clinical trial evaluated the therapy's effect on pharmacokinetic...

New treatment for heroin addiction appears safe and effective.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The abuse of methadone, which is used to treat heroin addiction, is on the rise and is causing an alarming increase in overdoses and deaths, according to media reports. However, an alternative may...

Data from first human trial of inhaled ISS for asthma released at AAAAI.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Dynavax Technologies reported phase I clinical data demonstrating the safety and biological activity of its inhaled ISS (immuno-stimulatory DNA sequence) for the treatment of asthma. The results...

Medication protects patients with peanut allergies.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A new medication could help most people with peanut allergies avoid life-threatening allergic reactions. A research team led by Donald Leung, MD, PhD, of National Jewish Medical and Research...

Ovalbumin allergenic peptide effective for allergic airway inflammation.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- An E. coli strain carrying an ovalbumin allergenic peptide as a fused protein to OMPC was therapeutic in a murine model of allergic airway inflammation. According to a study from Mexico, "An...

Susceptibility of Lactobacillus spp. to antimicrobial agents studied.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Researchers in Denmark recently reported their findings on the susceptibility of various species of Lactobacillus to antimicrobial agents. They said this work "is a prerequisite for differentiating...

Oral surgery anticipation anxiety model is a potential screening model.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Oral surgery anticipation anxiety model is a potential screening model. "Alprazolam, a benzodiazepine anxiolytic, was evaluated in anxious patients prior to oral surgery. This population represents...

Rodell named chairman, CEO.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- GlobeImmune, Inc., announced the appointment of Timothy C. Rodell, MD, as CEO and chairman of the board of directors. Rodell has previously been serving as a consultant to, and interim CEO of, the...

Biopharma expert joins management company.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Stone Bridge Management announced the appointment of George F. Steinfels, PhD, as partner-in-charge of the Washington, D.C. region and head of the biopharma practice. He will advise clients on...

Mossman named president of pharma business unit.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Cambrex Corporation (CBM) announced that Gary L. Mossman has joined the company as president of the Cambrex Pharma Business Unit with overall responsibility for accelerating the growth of products and...

Pharma company names West as vice president of corporate communications.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Anthem, Inc., (ATH) announced that Edward A. West has been named to the newly created position of vice president of corporate communications. He will be responsible for developing and implementing a...

Rippy named director, new business development.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Paul Duesterhoft, vice president, New Business Development of DFB Pharmaceuticals, and its affiliate company, Healthpoint, Ltd., has announced that Daniel S. Rippy has joined DFB and Healthpoint as...

Supervisory board names new member.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The Supervisory Board of Aegon N.V. (AEG) intends to appoint Leo M. van Wijk as a member of the Supervisory Board of Aegon N.V., as per the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders. Since 1997, Van...

New allergy/asthma treatment targets chemokines.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Inactivating a specific chemokine receptor in the body has been found to short circuit the inflammatory process, said researchers at the 60th anniversary meeting of the American Academy of Allergy,...

Researchers discover new asthma treatment target.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Recent studies have discovered an amino acid that may be involved in allergic disease. This pathway, not previously associated with asthma, may provide for a new pharmacotherapy treatment for...

TNF-alpha receptor is effective in chronic severe asthma.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Soluble tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) was found to be a useful supplement in the treatment of chronic severe asthma, researchers reported at the 60th anniversary meeting of the American...

SR Pharma ready to move to phase II with AVAC.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- SR Pharma, plc, and Genesis Research and Development Corp. (GEN) announced the successful completion of a phase I safety study of AVAC, a derivative of M. vaccae, for the treatment of atopic dermatitis...

Injection of DTI-015, a mix of BCNU in ethanol, stabilized active gliomas.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Injection of DTI-015, a mix of BCNU in ethanol, stabilized active gliomas. "DTI-015 (BCNU in 100% ethanol) utilizes solvent facilitated perfusion for the intratumoral treatment of gliomas. The...

Metastasis and tumor growth suppression achieved with propolis in mouse model.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Metastasis and tumor growth suppression achieved with propolis in mouse model. According to recent research from Croatia, "The antimetastatic efficacy of a water soluble derivative of propolis...

South Africa approves natural interferon.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Viragen, Inc., (VRA) and Viragen International, Inc., (VGNI) announced the approval of its natural human alpha interferon for sale in South Africa. The South African regulatory authorities approved...

VT-111 clears regulatory hurdle.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- An anti-inflammatory treatment for heart disease - developed in London - has successfully cleared the first hurdle on the road to market approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Viron...

FDA clearance granted for new chest pain screen.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Biosite Incorporated (BSTE), a leading provider of novel, rapid medical diagnostics, has received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market the Triage Cardio ProfilER as an...

Erdosteine protects heart tissue from doxorubicin-induced oxidative damage.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Erdosteine protected heart tissue from oxidative damage induced by doxorubicin. "The usefulness of doxorubicin (DXR) is limited by its cardiotoxicity. In order to improve future DXR therapy by...

Research: Synthetic a-MSH has anti-inflammatory effect in celiac mucosa.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Zengen, Inc., announced that their researchers have discovered a synthetic form of alpha-Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormone (a-MSH) that has an anti-inflammatory effect in celiac mucosa, the inside lining...

Antinausea drug will likely get approval in U.S.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Merck and Co.'s experimental treatment for preventing nausea and vomiting in chemotherapy patients won key support from a group of government advisers, meaning the drug will likely be approved for sale...

FDA accepts Ranexa new drug application for filing.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- CV Therapeutics, Inc., (CVTX) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted the company's new drug application (NDA) for Ranexa (ranolazine) for filing. The FDA received...

Medical journal editorial dubs Gleevec "gold standard".
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Gleevec is the new "gold standard" for treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), according to an editorial published in a leading medical journal. The editorial cites a study published in the...

Promising preclinical data published on pain therapy.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Newron Pharmaceuticals, SpA, announced the publication of positive preclinical data on NW-1029, the company's lead product in its pain program. The data show that NW-1029 has potent and long-lasting...

Q&A reference guide released for human subjects research.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Barnett International, a division of a wholly owned subsidiary of Parexel International Corporation (PRXL), announced the release of "HIPAA and Human Subjects Research: A Question-and-Answer Reference...

Exclusive license agreement signed for dopamine stabilizer technology.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A. Carlsson Research AB, the Gothenburg-based pharmaceutical R&D company, announced that it has entered into a research collaboration granting Merck & Co., Inc., the license to develop and market...

Partnership targets enhanced data archival, retrieval.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- InnaPhase Corporation announced their partnership agreement and technology alliance with NuGenesis Technologies. This partnership will assist pharmaceutical and biotechnology professionals in the...

Strategic partnership to enhance metabolite identifcation capabilities.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Ricerca Biosciences announced at the Society of Toxicology (SOT) 42nd annual meeting a strategic partnership that will enhance its ADME/toxicology and metabolite identification capabilities, by...

Major study shows aspirin can reduce polyp return in GI cancer patients.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Patients who have had colorectal cancer may reduce their risk of suffering a recurrence by taking an aspirin daily, according to a new study conducted by a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill...

FDA approves Avelox (moxifloxacin HCl).
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a supplemental new drug application for Avelox (moxifloxacin HCl) Tablets/I.V. as a treatment for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) due to...

Pfizer to sell three products to British company.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Pfizer, Inc., said that it has agreed to sell its oral contraceptives, Estrostep and Loestrin, and its hormone replacement therapy, femhrt, to Galen Holdings, PLC, of Britain for $359 million in cash....

Preconditioning-mimetic drugs useful in improving outcomes after angioplasty.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Preconditioning-mimetic drugs were shown to be useful in improving outcomes after angioplasty. "Ischemic preconditioning is one of the mechanisms by which human myocardium and human life are...

Captopril's effect on Ang II formation caused by alternative forming enzyme.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Captopril's effect on Ang II formation caused by alternative forming enzyme. According to a study from the Netherlands, "The current study aimed to demonstrate differences between angiotensin...

Case study challenge expands to foster skills development.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The second annual Pharmahorizons Case Study Challenge professional development program for the life sciences was launched with the announcement by company president, Stephen Gregory, that the 2003...

Product, pipeline update provided by cancer drug maker.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Celgene Corporation (CELG) provided an overview of recent developments, including highlights from its extensive research and development pipeline, at the company's analyst and investor meeting in New...

New therapies for critical illness will need economic justification.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- New therapies for the treatment of critical illness will need economic justification. "The recent Food and Drug Administration approval of drotrecogin alfa (activated) and the potential of several...

Enalapril reduces incidence of diabetes in patients with heart failure.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- In a study conducted by the Montreal Heart Institute (MHI), enalapril, a drug used to treat hypertension and heart failure, substantially reduced the incidence of new cases of diabetes in patients...

HPLC validation requirements of the FDA, USP, and ICH.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The differences and similarities between the validation requirements of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Pharmacopoeia, and the International Conference on Harmonization are explained in...

PEG-containing micellar formulations can deliver benzoporphyrin derivatives.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- "PEG-containing micellar formulations may be a promising delivery system for benzoporphyrin monoesters for clinical applications," concludes a study by pharmacologists at the University of Alberta. ...

Optimization of therapeutics can be accomplished by directed evolution.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Optimization of therapeutics can be accomplished by directed evolution. According to a study from the United States, "Directed evolution is a broadly applicable technology platform that is ideally...

Agreement provides ability to use Captisol for early development.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- CyDex, Inc., an innovator in drug delivery technologies, announced an agreement regarding its advanced formulation system Captisol. The Agreement provides Merck the ability to utilize Captisol in...

FDA issues follow-up statement on unapproved long-acting Guaifenesin.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Adams Laboratories, Inc., commented on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) follow-up statement to the agency's October 2002 warning letter for manufacturers and distributors of unapproved...

Biological aspects of novel antistaphylococcal quinoline-indole agents studied.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A new study investigated the antibacterial properties of novel antistaphylococcal quinoline-indole (QI) agents. According to B. Oliva and colleagues, University of Leeds, "QI agents demonstrated...

Compounds from Iberis amara may have use for gastrointestinal disorders.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Extracts of the herbaceous plant, bitter candytuft (Iberis amara; Brassicaceae), may have potential therapeutic applications for gastrointestinal disorders. According to a study from Germany, "The...

Advicor demonstrates significant efficacy for broad spectrum of lipid disorders.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Achieving a healthy cholesterol level is not just about lowering bad cholesterol - or LDL; it's about balancing a combination of factors in the body. While many are treated with cholesterol-lowering...

Negotiations to partner oral insulin no longer pursued; clinical data released.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Emisphere Technologies, Inc., (EMIS) announced a delay related to a previously disclosed near-term milestone to secure a partnership for its oral insulin candidate. The oral insulin partnership had...

Neuroscience research collaboration signed with Howard Florey Institute.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Bionomics announced that it has entered into a research collaboration with the Howard Florey Institute of Experimental Physiology and Medicine to advance Bionomics' research and development programs in...

$10M donated to support academic research.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) School of Medicine announced that GSK has provided Penn with an unrestricted grant of $10 million to support academic research. "We...

2002 revenue increases to $26.4M for prostate cancer drug maker.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Atrix Laboratories, Inc., (ATRX) announced consolidated financial results for the fourth quarter and the year ended December 31, 2002. For the year 2002, total revenues increased to $26.4 million,...

Acquisition of women's healthcare products considered.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Galen Holdings PLC, the international pharmaceutical company, announced that it and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Galen Limited, have entered into two conditional agreements with Pfizer, Inc., to acquire...

Biotech company loses $997,000 in 2002.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- AspenBio, Inc., (APNB) announced its preliminary 2002 results. On revenue of $753,000 the company lost $997,000 for the calendar year 2002, as compared to revenues of $1,123,000 and income of...

Pharmaceutical company reports quarterly net loss of $1.18 per common share.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc., (ALXN) announced financial results for its second fiscal quarter and first half ended January 31, 2003. In its second quarter ended January 31, 2003, Alexion reported...

Quarterly net loss of $0.01 per share reported by nutritional supplement maker.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- AutoImmune, Inc., (AIMM) reported a net loss of $0.25 million, or $0.01 per share basic and diluted, for the 3 months ended December 31, 2002, compared with net loss of $0.10 million, or $0.01 per share...

Seattle biotech raises $40M in Series B financing, appoints board members.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Corus Pharma has successfully raised $40 million in a Series B preferred stock offering. Novo A/S, RBC Capital Partners, and JPMorgan Partners led the financing. MDS Capital and Integra Ventures,...

Solentix to purchase anti-inflammatory platform.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Solentix BioSciences, Inc., announced the proposed purchase of an anti-inflammatory research platform from Gliatech, Inc., (GLIAQ). Gliatech entered a motion yesterday in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court...

Stock buy back program announced.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- BioReliance Corporation (BREL) announced that its board of directors has authorized the repurchase of up to 500,000 shares of the company's common stock from time to time on the open market or in...

Teens may be reluctant to take epinephrine, study says.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Teens are affected more by social consequences than by fear of food allergy reactions, causing a possible reluctance to use their medication, according to findings presented at the 60th anniversary...

Anti-glycoprotein 41 immunotoxins effective in mice.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Anti-glycoprotein 41 immunotoxins are effective against HIV infection in mice. "Immunotoxins (ITs) targeting the HIV envelope protein are among the most efficacious antiviral therapies when tested...

Antiretroviral therapy improves VH3 humoral responses.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Michael Greer, senior medical writer - Antiretroviral therapy for HIV improves variable region gene family 3 (VH3)-based humoral responses, researchers in the United States report. VH3 "is the...

Antiretroviral treatment has limited impact on bone degradation.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Antiretroviral treatment has limited impact on bone degradation in HIV patients. "The underlying mechanisms of several bone disorders in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected persons and any...

Nelfinavir inhibits lymphocyte P-glycoprotein activity.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The HIV protease inhibitor nelfinavir suppresses T-cell P-glycoprotein activity. "The efflux pump P-glycoprotein decreases drug penetration into cells and tissues," explained researchers in the...

Zidovudine prophylaxis has no long-term adverse effects.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Zidovudine prophylaxis against vertical HIV transmission has no long-term adverse effects. Treatment with the antiretroviral agent "is recommended to reduce perinatal HIV-1 transmission, but there...

New AIDS drug price spurs questions.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A new AIDS medication to treat patients resistant to existing drugs is expected to get final approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), but the AIDS community is anxious instead of...

rFVIIa efficacious in treatment of major bleeding episodes.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- rFVIIa efficacious in treatment of major bleeding episodes. "Recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIa, 'NovoSeven') is indicated for the treatment of spontaneous and surgical bleeding in patients...

Generic formulation of diabetes drug produced.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Amarin Corporation plc (AMRN) confirmed that its Swedish subsidiary, Amarin Development AB, has developed a generic formulation of glipizide extended release tablets, as part of an agreement with Watson...

Long-term treatment with ketanserin reduced hypertensive organ damage.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Long-term treatment with ketanserin reduced hypertensive organ damage. According to recent research from People's Republic of China, "It has been proposed that instability of blood pressure may...

Testosterone product to be commercialized.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Columbia Laboratories, Inc., (COB) and Quintiles Transnational Corp. (QTRN) announced an agreement to commercialize Columbia's Striant testosterone buccal bioadhesive product in the United States. ...

1,8-Cineole given i.v. elicits hypotension through active vascular relaxation.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- 1,8-Cineole given i.v. elicits hypotension through active vascular relaxation. "The cardiovascular effects of i.v. treatment with 1,8-cineole, a monoterpenic oxide present in many plant essential...

Iso-S-petasin depresses cardiac contraction and intracellular Ca2+ transients.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Iso-S-petasin depresses cardiac contraction and intracellular Ca2+ transients. "Petasites formosanus is an indigenous species of the medicinal plant Petasites which has been used to treat...

Antianaerobic agents have greatest effect on enterococci resistance.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Antianaerobic agents may have the most pronounced effect on the developement of enterococci drug resistance. Researchers in the United States conducted a study to "assess the impact of restricting...

Ciprofloxacin hydrochloride gel effective against bacterial conjunctivitis.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A ciprofloxacin hydrochloride gel shows promise for the treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis in an animal model. "Sol-to-gel systems of ciprofloxacin hydrochloride were prepared utilizing the...

Fluconazole has multiple antifungal effects.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The antifungal agent fluconazole has several mechanisms of action. "Azole antifungals are widely used to treat infections with dermatophyte fungi," researchers in Austria explained. "Whereas it is...

Household antibiotic use has little impact on pneumococcal resistance.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Household antibiotic use has a limited impact on the occupants' risk of developing drug-resistant infections. In a recent study from the United States, researchers used "microbiology and pharmacy...

S-3578 active against several resistant pathogens.
April 4, 2003... 2003 APR 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Michael Greer, senior medical writer - A novel broad-spectrum antibiotic is effective against a number of drug-resistant pathogens, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA),...